Telephone apparatus.



H. T. MARTIN.

TELEPHONE APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JULY 28.1914.

1,250,921. rmt@ nw. 13,1917.

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TELEPHONE APPARATUS.

- APPLICATION FILED JULY 28, 1914. l 1,250,921. Patented Dee.18,1917.

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wl/ w// C O. y 53 /a 7' I 35 3'/ Wl'nesses: /nVen/O/ ff' Q/M .WL Ham/d T Maf/fm n l by UNITED STATES IALTENT OFFICE.

HAROLD TAYLOR MARTIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., `ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS',

TO WESTERN'ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK., v

- TELEPHONE APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec, 18,` 19117,Y

Application led July 28, 1914. Serial No. 853,589.

To all whom t may Concern:

Be it known that I, HAROLDTAYLOR MAR TIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of `New York and State of New Yorlnrhave invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Telephone Apparatus, of which the followingis a. full, clear, concise, andeXact description.

This invention relates to telephone apparatus and one of its Vobjects is to provide a portable reel of rigid and light construction in which parts are easily removed for replacement. Another objectof this invention is the provision of convenient means in connection with the device for readilyv connecting a plurality of instruments in circuit with the conductors of the reel.Y

Features embodied in this invention are the means provided for easily and quickly det-aching an empty spool 'from the device and replacing it by a spool of cable, themeans for mounting andcentering the spool in the device, and the means for mak* ing connection between the wire Of the substituted spool and the device. i

Other features ofthe invention rela-te to the arrangement provided for connecting a number of telephone instrumentsl in vcircuit with the cable of the reel, the method of securing this connecting device, the reel structure and the details of construction and combination of parts, wherebya rigid and light structure is provided.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Y Figure 1 is a plan of the reel showing the spool and jack-box att-ached to a mounting case;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Figs. .3 and t are cross-sectional views of the apparatus taken on lines 3 3 and 4 4, respectively. ofFig. 1; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are circuit diagrams showing apparatus wired in accordance vwith this invention.

In the various figures like reference characters represent corresponding parts.;

The device used to carry out this Ainvention consists of an inclosing vor mounting case 1, made of leather, or any other durable non-conducting material, having mounted therein a. supportingV frame or rack .coinprisedof metallic ends.2 and 3 .separated The metallic ends 2 and 3 consist-cfa ,pair i of plates mounted parallel to Vand' separated from each other, by means of Va :plurality of tubular. spacers 7, the same ybeing held in place by machine screws 8. The space at vthe top between each pair of the plates com-4 prisingends 2 and 3, isclosedby means of extensions 26, 26lformed by .bending a portion of the outside plates at right angles to the body portion of saidvplates.` The c edger of the extension 26 carriedby. the Aout# side plate of end 2, is .brought fluslrwith the inside face of the inside plate, while the extension 26 on the outsideplate of end 3 projects beyond the inside plate of said end, the-.object of which willbe hereinafter described. In the lower half of the'v inside plates vof ends 2 and3 are provided apertures 9, 9 through which rcontact springs 10, 10 extend. The protruding parts of the contact springs 10, 10 are semi-circular in shape, and the tension of said springs -is inwardly.

A spool 11, comprised of metallic heads 12 and 13 and having a non-conducting spindle or core 14, upon which is woundY a cable 15, is pivotally mounted between the ends 2 and 3 by means of pins 16, 16. To'the endsof pins 16, 16 which extend on the out-k side of the mounting case 1, there is attached a circular disk or button 17 having its. center countersunk for accommodating the head of screws 18. Thev major portion of Aeach ofthe pins 16, 16, has two oppositely disposed vflat surfaces formedthereon, which comprise a shoulder against whichthe .free end of resilient members 19, 19 abut.- The resilientl members 19, 19 are fastened `inthe center near thebottom edge of the outside plate of metallic ends`2 and3, and have their free ends bifurcated in amanner to register with the flat surfaces formed on the pins 16, 16,-thereby furnishing a means for limiting the longitudinal movement of said .The ends of the cable 15 are provided with detachable connectors 20 and 21. The connector 20 is mounted `intermediate the spool head 12, and a metallic disk or plate. 22 by means of screws 24. The spool heads 12 and 13 are electrically connected to the connector 2O by means of conductors 23 and 1:3 respectively. rlhe spool head 12 is provided with a radially arranged slot having flaring edges, so that the inner end of the cable 15 may be led through and attached to the connector 20 in such a manner as not to interfere with the smooth winding of said cable upon the spool 11. T he connector 21 is provided with a spring latch 114, which functions to prevent the unintentional or accidental separation of said connector when the cable 15 is being paid out. rllhe diameter of the disk 22 is somewhat less than that of the spool heads 12 and 13, thus being adapted to register with a set-olf or slotted portion 50 formed in the extension 26 of the metallic end 3. The length of the slotted portion 50, being `less than the diameter of the spool heads but large enough to accommodate the disk 22, provides a means which permits the spool 11 to be mounted in t-he case 1 only in one position, so that in event the battery of the talking circuit, which includes said spool 1-1, is poled, it would be impossible to mount said spool improperly connected. Some of the tubular spacers 4 are so mounted in the metallic ends 2 and 3 that they serve as a guide for centering the spool 11 with the pins 16, 16 when placing said spool in the case 1. The disk 22 and the spool head 13 are punched or embossed at their respective centers, said embossings constituting bearings 25, 25 formed upon the inside surfaces and sized in a manner to accommodate the pins 16, 16, when the spool 11 is mounted in the case 1. The inside ends of the pins 16, 16 are beveled, and the portion of the bearings 25, 25 adjacent said pins is chamfered to facilitate the registering of said pins with `said bearings 25, The springpressure of the resilient members19, 19 insures the engagement of the pins 16, 16 with the bearings 25, 25. i

An empty spool may easily be removed from the reel by grasping the disks 17, 17, carried by the pins 16, 16, and pulling said pins outwardly until the ends thereof disengage the bearings 25, 25 of the spool. The empty spool may then be lifted out and a full one inserted. It is immediately centered with the pins, 16, 16 by resting against some of the tubular spacers 4 mounted in the bottom of the supporting frame. Vhen the pins 16, 16 are released, by removing the hands therefrom, they return to normal position under spring pressure; the beveled portion on the ends thereof first engage the chamfered part of the bearings 25, 25, and when said pins have reached their normal position, the spool is lifted from the frame and held free to rotate.

To adord a means for connecting a plurality of telephone sets in the talking circuits which include the ool 11, there is provided a jack-box 30. The jack-'box 30 comprises a. plurality of jacks 31 mounted in a strip of non-conduction material 10, and inclosed by a case 32 made of leather or any other non-conducting material. One spring on each of the jacks 31 is connected to a contact plate 33, while another spring is connected to a second contact plate 34. A connector 55 is bridged across the contact plates 33 and 3st, being centrally located on the outer face of the inclosing case 32 and attached to said contact plates by means of screws Ll1, 42. The jack-box 8O is attached to the cable reel and electrically connected therewith by means of screws 36, 36 engaging projections 45, 45. The projections 15, are formed upon the side edges and at right angles to the body portion of the outside plates of'met'allic ends 2 and 3. To prevent y the loss or dislocation of the screws 36, 36, a shoulder-37 is formed near the endswhich carry the wing nuts 38, 38. Said nuts 38, 38 are secured to the body portion of the screws 36, 86 by having a rivet passed transversely through the head of the nut and the body of the screw. The threaded portion of the screws 36, 36 extends through a U-shaped strip of metal 17 which is integral with the contact plates 33, 34 and comprises a support for said screws.

llhen it is desired to use the jack-box 30 separately, it may be removed from the reel by loosening the screws 36, 36. By means of the straps 27,27, which are sewed to the ends of the yinclosing case 32, the jack-box may be fastened to a belt worn by the person carrying said j ack-box. In case the reel and jack-box are used in combination, the device may be suspended from a belt by runing the belt underneath a pair of straps 28, 28, which have their ends sewed to the side and bottom faces of the inclosing case 1. Vhen the jack-box 30 is fastened to the inclosing case 1, the free ends of the straps 27 27 pass under straps 29, 29, which are sewed to the ends of said inclosing case. This means prevents said straps 27, from getting in the way yof the person wearing the apparatus when the reel is used in combination with the jack-box. It will be noticed from the drawing in Fig. 2 that the bottom surface of the inclosing case 1 is slightly concave, which feature allows the reel to fit snugly against the body of the wearer.

The talking circuit of the apparatus covered by this invention is diagrammatically illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. In Fig. .3 the reel and jackebox are shown as used in combination. The connector 21 attached to the free end of the cable 15 is connected to a central office, from which talking battery is furnished. Through the connector 20, the

cable l5 is connected to the spool-heads 12 and 13 which contact with contact springs l0, lO, thereby establishing a connection to the jacks 3l of the jack-box. By plugging into one of the jacks with the plug P, a telephone set T, carried by the person advancing with the reel, may be placed in the circuit, and telephonic commimication had at all times with the persons at the central oiiice or station in the rear. If the advance party be composed of more than one person, each may carry a telephone set and by plugging into one of the jacks 31, bridge their instruments across the line. Fig. 6 shows the electrical circuit when only the jack-box isused. In this case the cable is paid out from the central oflice, and is connected to the j ack-box by means of the connector 35.

From the above description, it will be seen that the apparatus covered by this invention is particularly applicable in emergency work or where it is inexpedient and often impossible to construct permanent lines, such as in the case of mine rescue work, in the military field and like places. The advancing party carries the combined reel and jack-box (when it is not preferable to use the jack-box alone), and as they advance, the cable is paid out from the spool, and at the same time a. circuit 'for telephonie communication maintained. Whenever the cable on one spool is exhausted, the empty spool may be replaced by a full one. The connector on the cable paid out is connected to the connector on the cable of the full spool, and the advance continued.

What is claimed is:

l. In a. portable reel, a mounting case, a frame having metallic ends insulated from each other, a removable spool having metallic heads electrically separated from each other, means for pivotally mounting said spool in said mounting case, means intermediate said metallic ends to space the same apart and to center said spool with respect to said pivoting means, and means for maintaining electrical connection between said spool and said mounting frame.

2. In a. portable reel, a mounting case, a frame having metallic ends insulated from each other, a spool lia-ving metallic heads, a metallic disk separated from one of said spool-heads, and means on said frame cooperating with said disk whereby said spool may be inserted in the frame only in one position.

3. In a cable reel, a frame, said frame having metallic ends insulated from each other, a spool having metallic heads attached to a spindle of non-conducting material, a metallic disk located adjacent one of said spool-heads, the diameter of said disk being less than that of said spoolheads, one of said metallic ends being provided with a slot, said slot being adapted to register with said disk but not with said spool-heads.

A. In a cable reel, frame members electrically separa-ted from each other, each comprising a pair of metallic plates mechanically separated from each other, one plate of each pair being provided with apertures, contact members mounted between each pair of plates and extending through said apertures, and a cable spool rotatably mounted between said plates and engaging said contact members.

5. In a cable reel, a spool having metallic heads attached to a spindle of non-conducting material, a connector mounted adjacent one of said spool-heads, means provided in the spool-head adjacent to said connector for leading outthe inner end of a cable wound upon said spool, and means for electrically connecting said spool-heads with said connector.

6. In a cable reel, a spool having metallic heads, one of said heads being provided with a radially arranged slot having flaring edges, a connector mounted adjacent the slotte-d spool-head and connected with both of said spool-heads, and a cable wound upon said spool and having its inner end led through said slot to said connector.

7. In a portable reel, a mounting case, a reel support therein, end plates for said support insulated from each other, a cable spool mounted between said end plates, conductors on said spool electrically connected with said end plates, a strip of jacks, each jack comprising two springs, a connecting plate common to one spring of each jack, a second connecting plate common to the other spring of each of said jacks, and clamping means for electrically and mechanically connecting said strip of jacks with said end plates.

8. In a cable reel, frame members electrically separated from each other, e-ach comprising a pair of metallic plates mechanically separated from each other, one plate of each pair being provided with a right-angle projection, a. strip of jacks, and a clamping means engaging said strip of jacks and said projections, whereby said frame members and said strip of jacks are mechanically and electrically connected.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 25th day of July, A. D. 1914.

HAROLD TAYLOR MARTIN.

Witnesses:

JAMES W FARRELL, W'ALTER F. HOFFMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C." 

